Romney campaign: 'It wasn't about what Portman lacked'

If Sen. Rob Portman was disappointed that his chance to become vice president had vanished, he wasn't showing it yesterday.

Joe Hallett, The Columbus Dispatch

If Sen. Rob Portman was disappointed that his chance to become vice president had vanished, he wasn’t showing it yesterday.

Wearing a scarlet and gray Buckeye cycling jersey and his ubiquitous sunny smile on a gray day, Portman rode his titanium bicycle along Pelotonia’s 100-mile route kibitzing with fellow riders, appearing unfazed about being passed over by Mitt Romney.

Along the route, Portman declined to comment about Romney’s choice of Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin as his running mate, later issuing a statement calling Ryan “a great choice.”

Many analysts predicted Portman would join the ticket because, among other things, he improved Romney’s chances of winning Ohio. But a member of Romney’s team and others close to it yesterday said Ryan was selected because his bold economic proposals promised to shake up the campaign.

“It wasn’t about what Rob Portman lacked; it was about what Paul Ryan had to offer and the contrast with our opponent,” a Romney campaign representative said. “Gov. Romney’s bold decision matches the bold leadership Paul Ryan has exhibited.”

Kevin DeWine, former Ohio GOP chairman and a member of the National Republican Committee, said with Ryan on the ticket, the campaign will be a debate about “big ideas.”

“I don’t think this is anything bad about Portman. It’s more that Romney and Ryan became very comfortable with each other during the course of the campaign,” DeWine said.

As Romney’s vice-presidential search dragged on over the past two months, settling on Ryan, Portman and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty as finalists, the spotlight shone ever brighter on Portman, raising his profile nationally and in Ohio. At the end, reporters staked out his Cincinnati home and followed him everywhere.

Portman comported himself well and received favorable reviews, his trademark patience, politeness and good humor on display.

“Rob got as much good out of this as he possibly could have,” DeWine said. “As a result, he is a stronger senator in Washington, and he is a stronger senator in Ohio.”

As a senator for less than two years, Portman went into the veepstakes with low name recognition statewide, but a poll by the Washington-based Tarrance Group circulated in late July showed him with strong favorability ratings in the Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton markets. Had Portman been on the ticket, those numbers boded well for Romney’s chances in must-win Ohio.